These are the best places to travel this summer

Lake Tahoe

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2025

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
A paddleboarder goes for a morning cruise around the shore of Tahoe City. Lake Tahoe is a high alpine lake located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California.
1371032025

Getty Images

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Lake Tahoe

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

Shimmering in myriad shades of blue and green, Lake Tahoe is the USA’s second-deepest lake and, at 6245ft high, it is also one of the highest-elevation lakes in the country. Driving around the spellbinding 72-mile scenic shoreline will give you quite a workout behind the wheel. Generally, the north shore is quiet and upscale; the west shore, rugged and old-timey; the east shore, undeveloped; the south shore, busy and tacky, with aging motels and flashy casinos; and nearby Reno, the biggest little city in the region.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Sugar Pine Point State park

    Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park

    Lake Tahoe

    The largest, and arguably most luxurious of the state parks at Lake Tahoe, Ed Z’Berg Sugar Pine State Park (formerly known as Sugar Pine State Park), sits…

  • Tallac Historic Site

    Tallac Historic Site

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Three 1920s-era estates – Baldwin, Pope and Valhalla – sprawl across this 150-acre site on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe. Free, self-guided tours wind…

  • Emerald Bay State Park

    Emerald Bay State Park

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Sheer granite cliffs and a jagged shoreline hem in glacier-carved Emerald Bay, a teardrop cove that will have you digging for your camera. Its most…

  • Fannette Island

    Fannette Island

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    This uninhabited granite speck in Emerald Bay State Park is Lake Tahoe’s only island. It holds the vandalized remains of a tiny 1920s teahouse belonging…

  • Tahoma, CA, USA - March 4, 2014: Vikingsholm is a preserved historic building at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. It is an excellent example of Scandinavian architecture in the western hemisphere.
492819437
Travel, Tourism, Scandinavian Culture, Building Exterior, Stone Material, Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, Protection, History, Local Landmark, Famous Place, Architecture, Bay Of Water, Castle, Built Structure, VikingsHolm

    Vikingsholm Castle

    South Lake Tahoe & Stateline

    Heiress Lora Knight's quirky mansion on the bay, Vikingsholm Castle is the focal point of Emerald Bay State Park, and a rare example of ancient…

  • Donner Lake Playground

    Donner Lake

    Lake Tahoe

    West of Truckee, 3-mile-long Donner Lake is a busy recreational hub. The Donner Party camped nearby during the fateful winter of 1846. Donner Summit,…

  • Keri Oberly follows the wooden path leading to the trail, while out for her evening exercise in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
106795402
boardwalk, cloud, color image, copy space, day, exercising, footpath, full length, healthy lifestyle, horizontal, incline village, lake tahoe, landscape, leisure activity, motion, nevada, on the move, one person, outdoors, photography, rear view, running, scenics, selective focus, swamp, travel, travel destinations, usa, unrecognizable person, vitality, water
Tahoe Meadows Ophir Creek Trailhead

    Tahoe Meadows

    Lake Tahoe

    Good for hikes in summer and skiing and snowshoeing in winter; there's also a sledding hill.

  • DL Bliss State Park

    DL Bliss State Park

    Lake Tahoe

    DL Bliss State Park has the western shore's nicest beaches at Lester Beach and Calawee Cove. A short nature trail leads to the Balancing Rock, a giant…

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

From kayaking and heading up high in a gondola to festivals and live theater, these are the best things to do in and around Lake Tahoe.

Read article

Best Time to Visit

Your guide to the best time for snow, warm weather, cost, crowds and events at Lake Tahoe.

Read article

Transportation

Here's a handy guide to easily navigate Lake Tahoe, an all-season alpine and lake adventure mecca.

Read article

Free Things to Do

Lake Tahoe is home to one of the US's most wealthy areas, but that doesn’t mean a visit to the lake’s natural beauty has to be expensive.

Read article

Money and Costs

Lake Tahoe has priceless views, excellent outdoor activities and world-class resorts. These tips will make staying in budget feel like a splurge.

Read article

Best Road Trips

Lake Tahoe and the surrounding region offer incredible destinations for numerous unforgettable excursions, any time of year.

Read article

Accessibility

Lake Tahoe is a one of a kind destination famous not only for its world-renowned alpine ski resorts but also its beautiful beaches.

Read article